


Alex's Spring Break

by emyy250



Series: A Year in Holidays [8]
Category: Gargoyles (Cartoon)
Genre: Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:47:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23374162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emyy250/pseuds/emyy250
Summary: Sequel to Spring Equinox Celebration. The Xanatos family go on vacation to Bend, Oregon for Spring Break.Note: This was published on 3-29-20 and completed on 6-2-20.Alex's Spring Break cover: https://www.deviantart.com/emyy250/art/Alex-s-Spring-Break-cover-842965946?ga_submit_new=10%3A1590227965
Series: A Year in Holidays [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1672741
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Travel

"Alex, wake up. We have to pack." Fox shook him.

"I don't wanna." He rolled over.

"You can sleep on the plane, dear. Get dressed so we can finish with your clothes." She walked over the suitcase on the ground.

Alex got out of bed and chose his clothes. He wore jeans and a tee shirt. He grabbed another shirt and a couple pairs of underwear. Fox searched for his swim trunks. Alex knew they still fit since he had tried them on yesterday. They finished packing his suitcase. Alex then started to pack his entertainment bag. He packed his laptop, the blanket from Serena, a travel pillow, his beloved stuffed panda, and his headphones. He packed a few books then frowned.

"What're you- Alex, you can only bring one." Fox told him.

"I want all my games." He whined.

"We're only going to be there a few days." She said.

Alex wrinkled his nose. "Fine."

He chose a few games for his PS4 and put it in the bag. Then they went to breakfast. His father and Owen were talking. There were eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Alex poured maple syrup on his stack of pancakes. He ate while Owen goes over the list of things they're bringing. They've packed several pairs of clothes, swimsuits, and shoes. They'll buy food when they get Oregon. Once that is settled, the dining room is quiet for a moment.

"What do you want to do when we get there?" Xanatos asked Alex.

"Food." Alex replied.

"After food." Fox chimed in.

"I dunno." He shrugged.

"It'll be too late to go into town. A bike ride?" Xanatos suggested.

"Hmm." Alex hummed, suddenly smiling.

"No racing. There will be other people about." Owen told him.

"Pfft!" Alex stuck his tongue out.

"We can race when there's less people out." Fox smiled. Alex grinned at her. Owen sighed.

Everyone finished breakfast soon after the conversation. They brushed their teeth and packed their toiletries. Alex and his family went to say goodbye to the gargoyles. They wished them a happy vacation. Then they went to the limo. The bags were in the trunk. Owen drove them to the airport. It was fairly early in the morning so traffic wasn't the worst.

When they got to the airport, they unloaded their bags and took them to the plane. It was a red and black plane. Fox inspected the plane. The baggage handlers dragged the suitcases into the plane. Alex looked at his phone. He scrolled through his messages. Fox gave it the all clear. The pilots taxied to the runway. Then the ramp was brought out. Alex walked up the ramp. The interior was white with dark blue seats. He found his bags and got out his pillow and blanket. He got himself situated. The rest of the family soon followed. Fox sat next to Xanatos. Owen was next to Alex. The captain told them to buckle their seat belts.

As they took off, Alex got his panda, Pandy, out. It was a gift from Lexington when he was a baby. Alex liked to sleep on long trips, but he got cranky when he wasn't comfortable. His parents gave him blankets and pillows, but he still wasn't happy. Owen decided to bring a toy for him to snuggle with and that solved the problem. Alex fell asleep to the sound of his parents talking.

When Alex woke up, he was in a rental car. The sun was up now. He rubbed his eyes. He was still holding Pandy. Nobody else was in the car. It looked like they were at the airport again. He put Pandy down and got out. He looked out into the parking lot. Owen was coming toward him.

"Ah, you're awake, Alexander. Your mother and father will be here shortly." He said.

"Where are we?" Alex asked.

"Atlantic Aviation. The pilots will stay at the Oregon branch of Xanatos Enterprises until we return." Owen told him.

"Why're we all the way up here?" Alex frowned.

"The plane has to refuel." He answered.

"Good morning, Sweetpea." Fox said.

"Hey, Mom." Alex hugged her.

"Your father wants to get out of Portland before lunch rush. We'll get you a snack when we get for groceries." Fox explained.

"Ok." Alex nodded.

"Alexander, do you need to use the bathroom?" Owen asked.

"Yeah." He said.

Owen took him to the bathroom inside the airport. When they came out, Xanatos was waiting for them. They all went to the car together. Then they drove out of Portland. Portland was built on the Willamette River and was spilt between east and west. Atlantic Aviation was in Northeast part of Portland so they had to cross the river. Alex got to see the boats on the river as they passed. The city was big enough and Alex watched the people. The city passed by quickly. Soon they were at the tunnel. It led into and out of the city. Alex saw there was a zoo, but Owen said they couldn't go.

They stopped at a Fred Meyer because they because the other stores didn't have what they wanted. Fox drove the cart as they looked at the food section. They got some bread, condiments, pickles, chips, cookies, a box of Honey Nut Cheerios, and pop tarts. They also got a case of water and two cases of soda, one of root beer and another of 7 up for Owen. Alex went to the deli and bought a quarter pound of potato wedges, the lady called them Jojos, and popcorn chicken.

They hit the road again. Fox tuned the radio. They were on I-5. It was boring to look at. Owen saw Alex had gotten two things for snack and made him choose one. He ate his Jojos. After he ate, he took out a book he brought and read for a bit. Video games in the car made him motion sick.

He was half way done when they took the exit to Bend. Alex looked around. He could see the backs of stores near the highway. The scenery soon turned to farmland. It turned into a forest of evergreens with a river after that. They passed a welcome sign shaped like a buzz saw blade. Owen parked the car at the Subway in an old gas station.

"Alexander, we are getting food now. If you don't want eat yet, we'll save it for later." Owen got out.

Alex unbuckled. He got out and stretched. The Subway was painted white and kept the covered area for the gas pumps intact. He went inside. There were tables and chairs as he expected. The soda fountain was near the cash register.

Owen got a 6 inch turkey sandwich, Xanatos and Fox split a Spicy Italian, and Alex got a foot long chicken bacon ranch. After they chose their toppings, Owen paid. Fox and Alex used the bathroom. Then they went back to the car. Alex walked to the trunk and opened it.

"We're saving the chips for later." Fox reminded him.

"I know." Alex said as he dug out a can of root beer.

"Owen, you want anything?" Xanatos walked over.

"My sunglasses." He answered.

"Anything else?" His father opened his suitcase.

"Water will be fine." Owen replied.

"Get in Alex; we still have to drive awhile." Fox told him.

"But we've been in the car forever…" He whined.

"We'll stop at Detroit Lake." Owen soothed.

"Can I play in it?" He asked.

"Yes, Alexander, you may play in the water." Owen added.

Alex got in the car. The rest of the family did too. Xanatos drove. It took a good 30 minutes to get there. Alex watched for a sign of the lake. He wiggled excitedly as it came into view. They pulled into the Mongold Day-Use Area. Xanatos barley parked the car when Alex dashed out in fox form.

"Alex, no!" Fox yelled.

He ran across the beach and into the water. There were a few people also on the beach. He yipped as he splashed about. His family got their sandwiches out and took them to the picnic area. Owen watched over Alex as he played. Alex swam out a bit. He saw some boaters fishing. He went a few more minutes before he got hungry. He swam back to shore.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Owen asked.

Alex shook his body and barked. Owen frowned. He ran and sniffed around for a minute. Then he and Owen went to the picnic table. His father and mother were eating cookies. Alex looked around and turned back to human. He sat at the table, unwrapping his sandwich.

"Did you like your swim?" Fox asked.

"Yeah." He nodded, smiling.

"I didn't think we'd have a picnic yet." Fox said.

"Alex slept on the plane ride. He was bound to get restless soon." Xanatos said.

"Hey!" He protested.

"You have lots of energy, Sweetpea." Fox told him.

"There is a store out on the Metolius we may stop at. It's an hour away." Owen chimed in.

"I wanna go!" Alex cried.

"Isn't that a bit out of the way?" Xanatos asked.

"Alexander will not be still now that he has known freedom." Owen ate his sandwich.

"I suppose so. But after Sisters, we're going straight to Bend." Xanatos said.

They ate and talked until Alex was done. They threw their trash in the dumpster. Everyone went to the car, buckling in. After they passed Detroit, named after the city in Michigan, Fox pointed out the window.

"That's Mount Jefferson, Alex." She said.

"Uh huh." He nodded.

"We'll see Mount Washington and the South Sister a bit later." She told him.

"Do you want to go hike, dear?" Xanatos asked.

"Perhaps tomorrow." Fox answered.

"Very well." Owen said.

The drive was quiet. Xanatos couldn't find any radio stations. The road soon became hilly and windy. There was a large section of burnt trees. Alex saw there were little trees to replace the old ones.

"What happened? Isn't this a national forest?" Fox furrowed her brow.

"This was caused by a forest fire, not a burning." Owen corrected.

"Why are the burned trees still up?" Alex asked.

"I don't know, Alexander." He said. "Leave it be."

"Ok." He hummed.

Alex picked up his book again. His parents talked about what to do after they settled into the house. After awhile, they turned off the highway. Alex looked up. The trees were red-ish. He looked up front. Owen seemed not to be concerned. It was probably fine. As they got further, there were cabins. Wooden cabins; some were old fashioned, others looked modern. A few of them were near the river.

"Is that a fire station?" Alex asked.

"Yes, Camp Sherman has its own volunteer fire department." Owen told him.

"It's a community, people live all year round." Xanatos added.

"Oh, I thought it was campsite." Alex nodded.

Soon, they were at the footbridge. It was right over the river now. Owen parked the car in the middle of the lot. They got out. The store was brown and looked almost like a house if it weren't for the neon signs and antique gas pumps. There was an outdoor picnic area to the left of the building. Alex saw the wood bear statue.

"Take my picture." He pointed.

"Very well, Alexander." Owen got out his camera.

Alex stood next to the bear and Owen took a picture. Then they went in the store. On the left was the front counter and lots of candy. Fox guided her son away on the promise they would buy some after they looked around. The first aisle had grooming stuff on one side and toys like checkers and plastic buckets on the other. Owen noticed a Gumby figure and Alex had to take a selfie with it. Fox looked at dishware. It was for camping. Alex looked at the gift mugs. Owen found a hat with the Metolius river logo he liked. After the dishes, there were sweatshirts.

At the back of the store, there was fishing gear. There wasn't anyone at the counter. They passed by the other aisles. It was food and stuff. They walked up the beverage aisle to get back to the front. Xanatos grabbed a bottle of local beer. Fox realized that the counter they were coming to was the deli. Alex looked at all the treats in the glass case.

"They have cake, and brownies and-" He grinned.

"Alex, you can't have all of them." Xanatos said sternly.

Alex whined.

"You need money for other treats." Fox reminded him.

"I want… the frosted brownie." He pointed.

"What do you want?" Xanatos asked.

"I'll have a scone." Owen said.

"A slice of cake for me." Fox answered.

As Xanatos paid for the desserts, the rest of the family went to the front counter to look at candy. Alex got distracted because he noticed there was a freezer for ice cream. There were Air Heads, Nerds, M&Ms, Dum dums, and Zotz.

"What are Zotz?" Alex asked.

"They're hard card with sour powder in middle." Owen grabbed the apple flavored one.

Alex took a few, watermelon, cherry, orange, and a thing of M&Ms. They paid for their things. Xanatos put their desserts in the back. Fox wanted to look around before they left. They walked past the fishing deck.

The Metolius was wide and deep in some places. Alex found a spot where he could crouch down to touch the water. It was cold. They walked for a bit. Owen took a picture of the family together. Xanatos found a spot without the cabins in the background. Owen got in a picture as well. After the photo shot, they went to the fishing deck next. It was nice; let everyone see the river a bit better.

They walked back to the car. By then, Alex had to go to the bathroom again. His parents looked at each other slightly exasperated, but went to the restrooms. To the right of the store, there was a post office and beyond that were the restrooms. Alex went to the restroom. Owen had him hold his hand out for hand sanitizer. Then they officially left Camp Sherman.

The drive to Sisters was short. Much quicker than Alex thought it was going to be. It looked like a nice place. They were in the middle of town when Owen pulled onto a side street. He decided to park the car. They got out again.

"There is a store I thought you would want to see." Owen explained to Fox.

They walked into The Hen's Tooth. It was a gift shop full of ornaments and other things. Alex groaned. He wandered a bit. He found a shirt that said "Sorry I'm late, I didn't want to come." He found the biggest size he could. He spent the rest of the time sniffing the lotions and cream samples. His mother found a lace table runner. She paid for the items. Then they went to the store next to it. It was called Paper Place. It had cards and toys for kids. Alex bought Artus a stuffed sloth and Tachi a kitty.

They left and made their way to Bend. Alex was getting sleepy and a bit hungry so he drifted in and out. He remembered seeing lots of desert and farms before the city came into view. The car stopped at one point. He fully woke up when they were in a roundabout.

"We're getting to the house now, Sweetpea. You'll be able to eat some Chinese and then go to sleep, ok?" Fox smiled at him.

"Kay." He rubbed his eyes.

They went through a couple more roundabouts before they pulled into a street and parked. Alex got out and grabbed his stuff. His father went up the stairs and unlocked the door. The front door opened to a small landing with a staircase going to the living room and another down. Alex dragged his stuff to the downstairs. He chose the room with two beds. It took a bit before everything was unloaded. Fox plated up some fried rice, noodles, and broccoli chicken for Alex. He ate it hungrily. His father and Owen were watching TV. He was allowed to half his brownie, it was big, for dessert. Alex sat with them until he was tired. He brushed his teeth and went to bed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Hiking

Alex woke up. He went upstairs. Alex looked for a mug and started the hot water for his hot cocoa. He looked for the bowls. It took a minute but he found them. He poured the Honey nut Cheerios in. Then he looked for milk. Someone bought a half gallon. He poured it in the bowl. Alex went to the living room and turned on the TV. It was showing a nature documentary. He took the little laminated card off the coffee table and read it. Alex punched in the number and watched cartoons.

Owen came in next. He got out the eggs and bread to make scrambled eggs and toast. Owen heated the frying pan, starting on the eggs. He was about halfway done when the kettle on the stove was ready.

"Alexander." Owen called.

"My cocoa is on the counter." He said.

"Would you like marshmallows?" Owen sighed.

"Yeah." He ate another spoonful of Cheerios.

Owen poured the water into the mug. He put a few marshmallows in and brought it to Alex. Alex sipped it. It was nice. The toast popped up and it was buttered. Owen plated his breakfast up. He poured himself a cup of coffee and put cream in it. Then he sat on the couch with Alex. They watched Looney Tunes until Fox and Xanatos woke up.

"Good morning, Owen. Good morning, Alex." They greeted.

"Good morning, sir." Owen said.

"What are we gonna do today?" Alex asked.

"We're going hiking today, but tomorrow we can go kayaking or we can go look at stores downtown, which do you want to do?" Xanatos asked.

"Um, kayaking." Alex thought.

"Alright." He nodded.

The Xanatoses made their breakfast. They had scrambled eggs as well. Fox filled their mugs with coffee. She walked over and took the remote from Alex. He whined.

"You're fine." She flipped through the channels.

"Mine…" Alex leaned back and looked at her.

"Go set up your Playstation." She ruffled his hair.

"Cocoa first." Alex sipped his cocoa.

Alex drank his hot cocoa. His parents sat near Owen and ate. Alex finished his drink and washed the mug out. He went downstairs into his room. He unpacked his entertainment bag. The TV in his room was too small. He checked Owen's, but they were the same size. He took his stuff upstairs.

"Alexander, what're you doing?" Owen asked.

"Finding a TV." He answered.

"What's wrong the one you have?" Fox asked.

"Too small." He walked into his parent's room.

Their TV was big enough. Alex plugged in his PS4. They whispered a bit but they decided it was better than letting him take over the living room. Then he went back downstairs for his laptop. He took it to the dining table. He turned it on and realized he didn't know the wifi password.

"What's the wifi password?" He asked.

Owen gave him a folder and he opened it. It had information about the house. He found what he needed and put the password in. Then he checked his emails and talked to some of his friends.

"Alexander, put your laptop in your room. We're going to leave soon." Owen said.

"Ok." He said.

Alex put in back in his room and got dressed. He wore a tee shirt and jeans. Then he brushed his hair and teeth. Owen used the bathroom next. Alex went back upstairs. His mother wore jeans and blue long sleeved shirt. Fox walked to her son and kissed the top of his head.

"Hi, Mom." Alex smiled.

"Did you sleep ok?" She asked.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"That's good. We'll just wait for David and Owen and then we'll go." She told him.

They finished up and came to the living room. Xanatos wore a short sleeved shirt and jeans and Owen had on something similar. They got some snacks and water. Then they went to the car. Alex saw the house for the first time since they got there. It was 2 stories tall and painted brown.

Alex got in the car. Owen drove. The drive took them out of Bend and onto the highway. There were forests for a while until they thinned out before they drove into La Pine. Then they were back. Alex watched the buildings go by. Soon, they left La Pine and turned left onto another highway. It was more desert scenery before they saw a small town. There were a few restaurants and houses. They turned left again and drove toward out to a ring of rock wall. It was dark brown.

"What's that?" Alex asked.

"That's Fort Rock. We will hike there for a bit then go get lunch." Owen said.

They parked in the small lot. Owen grabbed a couple water bottles and put them in his bag. They went to the bathroom. Then they looked at the picnic area on the other side of the parking lot. It was unusual; having several covered areas clustered together. It had some information panels about the sight and the history. The rock formation was formed by ancient lake. Also, apparently in a cave nearby, an archaeologist had discovered sagebrush sandals and human artifacts.

They left and started the hike. The path was sandy and it had some rocks in it. They went uphill. There were lot of plants growing. The weather was sunny with a light breeze. The family reached a flat spot over looking the parking lot. There were a bunch of sport cars in the parking lot now. There were a few red cars and yellow ones and a blue one.

"Why are all those cars here?" Fox asked.

"They like to drive on sunny days because they don't want to dirty their cars. I believe they chose this location because it does not lots of traffic." Owen looked at them.

"They'll most likely move on before we get back." Xanatos said.

They continued to on the path. They had walked up the hill and now went going down it. Alex was a little farther behind the group as he hadn't had much practice walking in sand. It wasn't dangerous, but the gravel in the sand made it easier to slip. Alex touched the non pokey plants. He sniffed a yellow flower. It smelt nice. They made it down and started toward the closest wall. The sun was getting higher in the sky. Owen stayed close to Alex. They walked up to the wall and touched it. It was rough. The rock on the inside of the wall was orange.

"We'll go a little more then get lunch." Xanatos said.

"Ok." Alex nodded.

"Do you like our hike?" Fox asked.

"Yeah, just not a lot to comment on. No animals, no nothing." He shrugged.

"They prefer not to be around humans." Owen told him.

"I suppose." Alex walked a bit farther.

There was a bird's nest near a little crevice. It was empty. Alex was too big to get into the crevice without getting stuck. The rest of the family came to see what he was looking at. They indulged their curiosity then started walking toward the other side of the Fort Rock. A large rock coming out of the ground big enough for several people walk on caught Fox attention.

"Alex, you wanna climb that rock?" She pointed.

"Can I?" He asked.

"I saw some people climbing on it earlier." She said.

"Ok." He smiled.

They walked to the rock. It was orange-y brown and fairly tall. Alex immediately went up the top. Owen got out his camera and took a picture. The others joined Alex on the rock. After all the photos were taken, they decided to go get lunch. They went back to the car. Alex grabbed a water bottle from Owen. He drank a lot of it in one go. They drove back to La Pine.

"What's Dollar Tree?" Alex asked.

Owen turned into the middle lane. "It's a dollar store, Alexander. They sell a variety of things."

They parked and went into the store. It was fairly clean and organized. They looked at the Easter decorations first since it was right next to the door. There were banners and lawn decorations. Alex looked at the candy. Fox told him they had candy at home. They went deeper into the store. They passed by the toys and office supplies.

"We're not actually going to get anything, are we?" Fox whispered.

"There's no harm in letting Alex look." Xanatos said.

"He wants to touch everything he sees." She looked at him when Alex came back with a couple puzzle books.

"Mom, look, they have crosswords here." He smiled.

"That's nice, dear." She said to her son.

"Are you gonna get it?" Xanatos asked.

"It mine now." Alex held it close.

"Did you find something too, Owen?" Fox saw he had a few books as well.

"Yes, Fox." He answered.

"Let's go pay." Xanatos said.

"Is that food?" Alex looked past the other aisles.

"It's mostly snack food, Alexander. We will get lunch when we leave." Owen said.

Alex pouted for a minute and then he followed his parents to the front to pay for his things. He was surprised that there wasn't a sales tax. So it only cost him 4 dollars for his books. Owen said Oregon had an income tax. He nodded. They went back to the car and drove until they saw a pizza place. Owen pulled in there because everyone was starting to feel hungry now. It was called Ponderosa Pizza.

The restaurant had a wood cabin aesthetic, complete with a set of deer antlers on the fireplace. There were lots of tables to sit at. They were sat down near a window and given menus and water.

"Alexander, you may order one _small_ pizza or a sandwich. Not both." Owen told him.

"But I'm hungry." He whined.

"The sandwiches come with chips and a drink." Fox smiled soothingly.

"Fine." He looked at the menu again.

Their waiter came back. Xanatos ordered a medium Meat Lover's Combo, Fox got the Twin Combo, Hawaiian and pepperoni, Owen got pepperoni and Alex ordered a Honey Chicken Wrap. He chose chips and Coke for his drink. They talked as the waited for their food. Owen sipped his water. Alex was starting to plan a kitchen raid when the food came. Everyone ate. Alex liked his sandwich, but he still wanted pizza too. Fox shared a slice of pepperoni with him. They finished up and got some go-to boxes. Owen ordered a 12 piece chicken and spuds. It was fried chicken and potato slices. Then they drove back to the house.

The family rested from their hike for a while. Alex lounged on the couch. His parents checked their emails and watched TV. Owen did some crosswords. Around dinner time, Fox convinced Alex to take a bike ride with her. They took the bikes from the garage. The bike path was off the side of the road. Alex enjoyed the trees and nature. They went a couple times around before going back. For dinner, they had the leftovers from lunch. The chicken and spuds were good. Alex ate the rest of his brownie for dessert.

"You wanna go in the hot tub tonight?" Fox asked.

"There's a hot tub?" Alex furrowed his brow.

"Yes, Alexander. That is why we brought swimsuits." Owen said.

"I thought we gonna go to the pool." He shrugged.

They all got changed into their swimsuits and went downstairs. It was next to the laundry room. Fox was wearing a red bikini and everyone else had on trunks. Xanatos uncovered the tub and started the jets. They all got in. Xanatos and Fox sat on one side and Alex and Owen on the other. The water was steaming in the night air. The chair had some jets in it and blew water on their backs.

"This is nice." Fox sighed.

"Yeah." Xanatos agreed.

"Today was fun." Alex said.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." Fox smiled.

They chatted and soaked in the hot tub. Alex batted at the chlorine dispenser. It was floating in water and he couldn't resist. Puck briefly made an appearance because he wanted a turn in the tub. One by one, everyone got out. They dried off with the towels they brought with them. Alex was the last one.

"Alex, the hot tub will be here tomorrow. You need to shower." Xanatos said.

"...Ok." He got out.

Alex dried off and went to the downstairs bathroom. He took his trunks off, setting them off to the side. He showered. When he was done, he got out and dried off again. He went upstairs. His mother and Owen were watching TV. Xanatos came out of the bedroom.

"Are you ready to go to bed, dear?" Fox asked her husband.

"Yes." He said.

"Good night, Mom. Good night, Dad." He hugged them both.

"Good night, Alex. Don't stay up too late." Fox kissed his cheek. Then they went to bed.

"So, what do you want to do, kid?" Puck asked.

Alex turned into a fox and flopped onto Puck's lap. He nudged his hand. Puck petted his head.

"Just for a little bit." Puck searched for something to watch.

They watched a episode of Nature. It was about bears. Alex grew bored and rolled onto his back. Puck scratched his tummy. His tail wagged. After the episode ended, they got up. Alex turned back into a human. Puck taught him how to make his voice sound far away. They had to be quiet because his parents were sleeping. It was a fun lesson. They said good night and went to bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Kayaking

Alex woke up to the smell of pizza. He rubbed his eyes. He went upstairs and saw his father. He had made the pizza. He was drinking milk.

"Morning, Alex." Xanatos smiled.

"Morning." Alex yawned.

"We're going to rent some kayaks and go have a picnic." He explained.

Alex hummed. He got a plate and microwaved two slices of pizza. He boiled hot water for apple cider. Owen woke up next. He ate cereal for breakfast. They watched a TV show about ice truckers. Fox came in the living room halfway through the episode. She had cereal for breakfast too.

"Owen and I are going to get some kayaks after breakfast." Xanatos told her.

"Alright, dear." She sat next to him.

They ate breakfast. Then Owen and Xanatos got dressed and took the car. Fox and Alex went to the garage. There was a ping pong table and a few bikes. Fox found the balls and paddles. They played a few rounds of ping pong.

It was a close match, but Fox won. Alex had gotten cocky. He turned into a fox and dramatically flopped to the floor. Alex whined. Fox petted his head. After a few pets, he was happy again. He rolled onto his feet and went to the bikes. One of them had a large basket. Alex sat in the basket.

Fox got on the bike and rode out to the driveway. Alex's tail wagged. Fox slowly picked up speed as she went down the path. Alex enjoyed the wind in his fur. They passed a few dog walkers in the park. A couple of wiener dogs barked at them. Alex barked back.

"Alex, behave. Your father just texted me. They'll be back soon." Fox turned the bike around.

They rode back to the house. Alex saw the car was in the driveway. They got 2 two person kayaks. Fox put the bike back in the garage. They went back upstairs. Alex turned back into a human. Owen smiled at him and ruffled his hair. They went to the kitchen.

Alex helped make the sandwiches for lunch. He made himself a turkey sandwich with tomato, cheese, lettuce, and mayonnaise. Then he made a ham sandwich for Owen. Fox made a chicken breast sandwich with lettuce and pickle slices. She blotted them dry so there wouldn't be juice in the bag. Xanatos had Owen make him a turkey sandwich with everything on it. They packed the chips and cookies in the cooler as well.

After the sandwiches were made, it was time to get ready. Everyone got changed into comfortable clothes and put on sunscreen. It was going to be sunny. Owen made sure Alex had enough sunscreen on. He was wearing a blue v neck and shorts. Fox made him bring a jacket. Owen and Xanatos went outside went they finished getting ready.

Alex got his phone and another book from his room. Then he went outside. Apparently, the ropes holding the kayaks had come undone. His father and Owen were trying to figure out what happened. They had to take them off the car and put them back up. Alex was bored. He was ready to leave 10 minutes ago. Owen and Xanatos were getting the last kayak back onto the car roof. Fox carried the cooler out to the driveway. She couldn't put it in the trunk yet.

"Dad." He huffed.

"We'll get going soon, Alex." Xanatos told him.

"I'm bored." Alex frowned.

"Almost done, Alexander." Owen tugged the rope tighter.

They finished getting the kayaks secured. Fox out the cooler in the back. Alex got in the car. They pulled out of the driveway. As they made their way out of town, Alex realized there were more traffic circles in the area than he had thought. They left Bend and went onto a highway. There were lots of pine trees along the road. They passed a road sign that said wango snow play area. But there wasn't any snow to play in. Alex read his book for a bit.

"Look, it's Mount Bachelor." Fox point out the window.

They looked at the mountain as it passed. Alex wondered if any people skiing down the mountain. Probably. The road curved at an angle before it became straight. Alex saw some cars now. They passed a wooden building. Owen said it was guard station. They didn't see any picnic tables so they drove a bit farther. At the south end of the lake, there were picnic tables. Owen parked the car. Alex got out and stretched. Fox and Xanatos got the cooler out.

"Go find us a picnic table, Sweetpea." Fox asked.

"Ok." Alex nodded.

Alex walked to the trees and found a table. It was made of concert. He sat at the end. His parents found him a few minutes later. Alex looked for Owen.

"Owen'll be here in a minute." Xanatos opened the cooler.

He passed out their sandwiches and napkins. Then he got out some root beer and the chips. Fox sat next to Alex. He opened the sandwich bag and ate his sandwich. It was good. Owen joined them. Xanatos gave him his sandwich. They both sat down and begin to eat. There was slight breeze now. Fox and Xanatos were talking when Alex saw something coming toward them.

"A chipmunk!" He pointed.

They all looked. It was standing several feet away. It was waiting for something. Alex realized it wanted food. He tossed a piece of crust at it. It darted to the crust and nibbled on it. Another chipmunk came up and tried to get the crust. Fox tossed it a chip. It went to a tree stump and ate.

Owen told him to ignore the chipmunks. Alex frowned. He finished his sandwich then ate a couple handfuls of chips. Alex fed the chipmunks a couple more times. They were cute. Everyone finished their lunch. Owen got out the cookies and they all ate a couple. His parents cleaned up and Alex went to the bathroom. When he came back, they were getting the kayaks unloaded.

"Go with your father." Fox instructed.

"I can help." He offered.

"We're fine." She said.

Alex followed Owen and his father to the beach. They set the kayak down before the water. Alex stayed with the kayak as they went back for the other one. Fox brought him his aqua socks. Alex put them on and gave his mom his sneakers. Fox took his shoes back to the car. She returned with the life jackets. Owen and Xanatos came back soon after. They set the kayak down. They decided that Fox and Owen would be in one boat and Alex and Xanatos in the other. After they got the life jackets on, they got in and casted off.

Alex smiled. The kayak glided on the water. It was a few minutes before they got in the open. Alex dipped his hand in the water. It was cool. He wiped his fingers on his shorts when he was done for the moment. He drank from his water bottle. Fox and Owen weren't too far behind. They got parallel to each other.

"Hi, Mom!" Alex shouted.

"Hello, Sweetpea. How far are we going, David?" Fox asked.

"We'll aim for the dock then turn back around." He said. The dock was at the other end of the lake.

"Alright." She nodded.

"Remember to behave, Alexander. There are people here." Owen told him.

"Ok." Alex said. He knew he meant no magic, but it was still a little disappointing to hear he couldn't.

Alex saw a duck swimming. It was too far way to see the markings but it was brown. There were some people on paddle boards. A father and two kids. They waved. Alex waved back. The water got a little choppy as they got near the middle of the lake. It was breezy too. Alex drank a bit of his water. He enjoyed the ride as they got closer to the dock. There were some boats parked at the dock. He saw a couple of sailboats and some yachts. His father turned the kayak around. Fox and Owen hadn't gone as far as they did so they waited until they got close to start heading back. It took a bit to get back to the other side of the lake.

"Are we going to kayak more?" Fox asked.

"There's a probably a place close by we can go to. I rented these for the day." Xanatos said.

"Cool." Alex nodded.

Once they got to shore, they got out of the kayaks and took off life jackets off. Then everyone carried them to the car. Owen and Xanatos got the kayaks back on the car. Then they got in the car and drove back up the highway. They hadn't driven for very long when Owen pulled over on the side of the road. Alex looked out the window. There was another lake. He got out.

"Be careful going down the embankment." Fox told him.

Alex went down the embankment. It was made of gravel. At the bottom, there was some tall grass. The lake was to the left. His parents carried down the first kayak. Owen brought the life jackets. Alex didn't notice he was frowning until he got closer. Owen pulled out a bottle of sunscreen.

"You need more, Alexander." He told him.

"It's cloudy now." Alex gestured to the sky. It was cloudy, but the sun was peeking through a little bit.

"Alexander." Owen said sternly.

"Fine..." He took the sunscreen.

Fox and Xanatos brought down the other kayak. Alex lathered on the sunscreen then put on his life jacket. Then they put the kayaks on the water and casted off again. This lake was surrounded by trees so it wasn't as warm. Alex saw some people packing up their fishing gear. They walked to their car. As soon as the people left, Alex transformed to a fox again. He turned around and faced his dad. Alex grinned at him. Xanatos sighed. He petted his son's ears. Alex yipped happily. Fox and Owen pulled up beside them.

"I see he wanted attention." Fox rubbed his cheeks. "Be a good boy for your father."

Alex barked.

"Alexander." Owen said. Alex turned. "Smile."

He took their picture. Alex posed for a few more. In one, he stood at the bow of the kayak. Alex sat on Xanatos' lap then he wanted a picture with his mom so he jumped to their kayak. Fox scolded him. Owen passed over the camera to Xanatos and he took some of them. Alex licked both their faces before going back to his kayak. Xanatos passed the camera back. Alex licked his face too before turning back into a human.

They went around the lake for a bit. The weather was cloudy but not bad. There weren't a lot of people at this lake, but it was smaller than Elk lake, the lake they went to for lunch. The water was dark green. Xanatos pointed out a flock of ducks swimming on the lake. Alex watched them.

"What's that?" Alex saidas he saw a patch of land. He leaned over the side of the kayak.

"Ok, we'll go over for a minute." Xanatos turned the boat.

There was a grassy marsh that connected back to the embankment. Alex ran around the marsh for a bit. He splashed through a little stream in the marsh. Then he went back to the kayak and they went back to the other end of the lake. Owen took a few more pictures for his grandfather and then they got out.

It took a bit longer to get the kayaks on the car since they had to go uphill. The family drove back to Bend. Owen drove them a kayaking school. They returned the kayaks. Alex took a little nap before his mom woke him.

"Wake up, Sweetpea." She shook his arm.

"Huh?" He blinked.

"We're at the grocery store." She said.

Alex got out the car. The sign said Sunriver Country Store. It was a brown building with brick pillars. They went in. The deli was near the front doors so it smelled like fried chicken. Fox said they couldn't get chicken for dinner since they had some last night. Owen got a bag of salad and a few cups of yogurt. They paid and went back to the car. Alex noticed a strip mall nearby.

"Alexander wishes to see the stores." Owen told his parents.

"Fine, we have to be quick though." Xanatos said.

The stores all had the same wood paneling on them. Alex saw a window full for squishy stuffed animals. They followed him inside the store. It was a toy store. Alex was squeezing the animals. Some of them were round. Others were shaped like food. A few were fairly large. He settled on the rainbow. It had a cloudy with a smiley face. After a disagreement about the giant unicorn for sale, Alex looked around the store. One side had dolls and stuffed animals, the other had board games with a few shelves in between. Nothing else captured his attention so they paid for their things. Fox found a few coloring books for Tachi and Artus. They left the store.

Next was the rock shop. There was a stuffed dinosaur and Alex wanted a picture with it. He found necklace for Serena. It was aquamarine. Fox found a pair of earrings she liked. Xanatos chose a small fossil. Then they went to the 12.99 store. There were hoodies and shirts. They had Bend or Sunriver on them. Alex got a pullover hoodie with Sunriver written on it. Owen got a gray shirt. There was a bookstore and an ice cream store Alex wanted to see, but Xanatos said they had to make dinner. They went back home.

Xanatos had bought hamburgers while Alex was asleep. Everyone changed out of their clothes and into their comfy clothes. Then he went on his laptop until everyone was ready. He ate the burger and fries ravenously. The others had salad with their meal. Alex was still hungry so Owen gave him a yogurt to eat. They had cookies for dessert.

After dinner, the family watched a TV show about Alaska for a bit. Owen got their swimsuits from the dryer and went into the hot tub again. Alex and his parents joined him after they changed. They talked about what they saw while kayaking and what they wanted do to tomorrow. This time, after everyone showered, Alex's parents watched his lesson with Puck. They ended up playing tag. Fox kissed Alex good night and they all went to bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Shopping

Alex woke up and he went to the kitchen. He ate pop tarts for breakfast. It was 10:30. He surfed the TV channels a few times before he settled on a movie. Fox woke up and she had toast for breakfast. Xanatos and Owen came in next. They ate breakfast. Xanatos decided they would stay home today.

Alex worked on his puzzle books a bit. Then he went to his parent's room and played video games. Fox and Xanatos were on their phones. Owen read a book he brought. They had a late lunch. After lunch, Xanatos took them to the strip mall. Alex wanted to go to the bookstore first. It was a large store with 2 floors. They looked around for awhile. Owen found a section for the local author in the upstairs section. Alex, Fox, and Owen each found something they liked. They paid for the books.

Then they went to the ice cream store. It was a single room with tables on one side and a case for chocolate on the other side. The ice cream was in a refrigerated case toward the back of the store. Alex grinned. Owen went with Alex to the ice cream counter. Alex ordered a chocolate and strawberry in a chocolate dipped waffle cone. Owen had a scoop of mint chocolate chip in a plain waffle cone.

"Alex, what kind of truffles do you want?" Fox asked.

"These are for later, Alex. You have ice cream." Xanatos pointed out.

"Aw." Alex frowned.

They went over to his parents. Alex looked over the treats. He wanted the milk chocolate truffle, a rocky road, pecans and marshmallows, and cashew caramel cluster. Owen got a raspberry cream and salted caramels. They paid and then went to get dinner. Alex and Owen stayed in car, eating their ice cream. It was Chinese food. Then they went home.

Alex lounged for a while until he was hungry. Owen went for a walk. The family ate dinner then went for a bike ride together. It was nice. They went in the hot tub and soaked in it. They showered afterward. Puck taught Alex a simple lesson then they went to bed. The next morning, Alex awoke to the sound of Owen's voice.

"Alexander, wake up. It's breakfast time." Owen told him.

"Noo..." Alex buried his head in the pillow.

"It is the last full day of vacation. Your father doesn't want you asleep all morning." Owen said.

"Fiiine." Alex whined but he got out of bed.

His parents made eggs and toast for breakfast. Alex wanted hot cocoa so Owen boiled the hot water. They ate then got dressed. Fox wanted to see downtown. The drive didn't take too long. They parked behind the buildings and near a park. It had a lake. They walked around. Fox took them into an antique store. It had carpet and lots of shelves and cabinets full of stuff. They browsed the dishes and glassware. Some of the furniture was for sale too.

"Look, David, they have the tea set." Fox pointed a china tea pot and some cups.

"Do you want to ship them home?" He asked.

"It'll be fine in the car." She said.

Owen got the cashier and they got the dishes out of the cabinet. She would keep them at the front until they were done looking. They moved deeper into the store. There were old toys and clothes to one side. Alex touched the fur coat. It was soft. He noticed a box of comic books. Nothing appealed to him. In the very back was the large stuff.

The jewelry was near the counter. They looked the old rings and brooches. Owen chose a few with different gems. Alex wondered what he wanted to do with them. They paid. Fox chatted the cashier as she wrapped the tea set up. They took the stuff back to the car. Xanatos and Alex waited in the shade. Owen and Fox returned.

They walked a few blocks. Alex found a tea store. It was concert with lots of chairs and small tables. He went to the front and ordered a medium peach bubble tea with strawberry jelly bits. They left and found a bookstore on the other side of the building. Alex found a pin he liked. It was a cat face. They walked another block and turned left. Alex had finished his tea and threw it in the trash. There was a candy store on this street.

"Mom!" Alex pointed.

"I guess we're going to look at the candy." She sighed.

"No running, Alexander." Owen told him.

They got to the store, going in. There was a wall of jelly beans and other loose candies to the left. Owen got a couple flavors. They looked around. Colorful packages drew the eye. There were also little toys scatter throughout the store. Alex looked through the prank items. His parents watched him closely. He was disinterested in them. They were relived. Towards the back of the store, there was a TV playing Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. There was a cabinet with novelty gifts. Then there was an ice cream case.

"Would you like a sample?" The worker asked.

"Yeah." Alex said.

"What flavor?" They asked.

"Uh… white chocolate raspberry." He looked at the flavors.

Alex was given a little cup and spoon. He ate the ice cream. It was good. Fox tried sea salt caramel, Xanatos had cookies and cream, and Owen had expresso. They didn't buy any ice cream. They paid for their stuff. Alex had gathered some candy while looking around. He had some chocolate, gummy candy and some other stuff. Before they left, Alex noticed a yellow machine. He went to look at it. It made cotton candy.

"Dad, I need money." Alex told him.

"We already bought your stuff." He frowned.

"I need like 4 dollars." He insisted.

Xanatos gave him the money and followed him to the cotton candy machine. Alex put the money in. The machine played music as it got out a stick. Then it revealed the bowl and stuck the stick in it. The cotton candy spun around the stick. When it was big enough, the lid of the bowl closed and plopped the cotton candy on top. The machine chimed. Alex lifted the door and got his treat out. They left the store and Alex ate his cotton candy. They walked to the car.

"Where do you want to go to now?" Xanatos asked.

"I would like to get lunch." Owen said.

"Bathroom." Alex said.

"Already?" Fox frowned.

"He did have some tea." Owen reminded them.

"We'll go put the candy in the cooler and you two go find a bathroom." Xanatos pointed to Owen.

"Come along, Alexander." Owen told him.

They walked the block. Some restaurant had signs saying restroom for paying customers. Owen wasn't sure if the smaller stores even had a restroom. They found a toy store at the end of the block. They went in. Owen explained the situation to the lady at the counter. She let Alex use the bathroom. It was in the back of the store.

Once Alex was done, he looked around the store super quick. Alex played with the marble track and the train set on display. Owen looked at the puzzles. He found a stuffed fox and a teddy bear. He bought them. Owen found the quickest way back to the parking lot. Fox and Xanatos were waiting for them. They got in the car and drove back. Alex drifted off for a bit. He woke up when he smelt food. He rubbed his eyes.

"Good morning, Sweetpea. Your father got some hum bao." Fox handed him a box.

"Gimme food." Alex yawned.

"We're almost home. We'll make something there." She told him.

Alex didn't answer as he was eating. He ate the hum bao. It was barbeque pork. It was savory and meaty. He was sad when it was gone. Alex then noticed a lot of cars on the side of the road. There was a second hand store. The sign said it was only open two days a week. Today was one of those days. Owen pulled over.

The store looked like a large tractor shed. It was blue. They looked around. The outside area had books and large items. The books were mostly for little kids. Xanatos wasn't interested in the tools. They went inside. Fox looked at the dishes. She found a little purple vase. They had to wait in line for a bit. Fox paid for her vase then they got in the car.

"Ooo, look, a book sale!" Alex pointed to a sign. It was at the library.

"There were books at the store, Alexander." Owen said.

"Those were for babies." He told him.

"We will have a _quick_ look." Fox said.

They pulled in the parking lot and found a spot. The book sale was held outside. There were three rows of tables with boxes on them. The tables had paper signs on them. The family looked the selection. Alex found a couple fiction books. Xanatos had come across a couple battered books which he wouldn't let go of. Owen had a few cookbooks. Fox found a novel she liked. They all got in line and paid for everything.

Then they went home. Alex had a sandwich and chips for lunch. Fox did too. Owen and Xanatos had the Chinese leftovers for lunch. Then they relaxed for a bit. Owen answered a few emails, Fox read her book, Xanatos was on his phone, and Alex played his games before he lounged around.

"Let's go to the mall." Fox walked in the living room.

"The one by the grocery store?" Xanatos asked.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Alex, we're going to the strip mall again!" Xanatos called to his son.

"Okay!" Alex walked up the stairs.

They went to the mall. Alex wanted to see the rock store again so they did. He put his hands in the rock bin. It was full of loose rocks. Alex got a bag of rocks. He and Owen both got something from there. Then they went to the $12.99 store. Fox bought a hoodie. Alex found a night shirt and bought that too. Owen asked him why and Alex said it was for Serena. They went to the grocery store and got some fried chicken and jojos for dinner. Then they headed back to the house.

It was a little early for dinner so Alex wanted to play ping pong. It became a mini tournament. Owen won against Alex. He pouted until he was told he could play after they figured out the winners. Fox and Xanatos had a tight match. But after a bit, Xanatos won. Fox smiled and sat with Alex.

"Who do you think will win?" She asked.

"I dunno." He shrugged.

"I guess we'll know soon." Fox hummed.

They watched as Owen played against Xanatos. It was a tough game. Owen won. Alex cheered. Xanatos shook his hand and congratulated him. Then it was Owen and Xanatos vs. Fox and Alex. It got a bit tense. Xanatos fumbled a serve and made the ball hit the net. Fox and Alex won the game. Alex did a victory dance. Fox laughed at her son's antics. Owen smiled, amused.

The family went upstairs. They got dinner ready and ate. Then it was time for dessert. The ate their chocolate truffles. Alex ate the rocky road truffle. After dinner, they went on a short bike ride. Alex liked feeling the night air on his face. When it was getting dark they headed back to the house. Then they went in the hot tub one last time. The jets were on and the water was warm.

"Did you like your vacation, Alex?" Xanatos asked.

"Yeah, it was fun." He batted at the chlorine dispenser.

"Remember to pack your stuff before bed." Fox said.

"Pfft." Alex stuck his tongue out.

"Alexander." Owen looked at him.

"Fine." He said.

"We love you, Sweetpea." Fox told him.

"I love you too." Alex smiled.

Everyone slowly got out of the hot tub after a bit. Puck had had some time in the hot tub so he was happy. They showered then did laundry. Alex packed up his PS4 and took to his room. Puck taught him how to pack using his magic. It didn't take very long. They played a prank on his father. He took it well. Alex's parents wished him a good night. Owen went to bed soon after. As Alex drifted off to sleep, he snuggled Pandy and couldn't wait to tell everyone back home about his spring break.


End file.
